Islands and Dreams
by Whistle
Summary: Shipwrecked on Koholint Island, Link comes to realize the stuff dreams are made of... A Link's Awakening story.


Uhm... I know this is a very old game, but I always thought it had a very suggestive storyline, especially for a GameBoy game. I wanted to write something that caught the spirit of the game. In retrospect, I'm not sure how it turned out, but, please, take a few seconds of your time to drop a review to tell me what you thought...

Disclaimer: Nope. I refuse to write a disclaimer this time. I have no intention of mentioning that I do not own Legend of Zelda and all associated trademarks. And I'll be damned if I point out that Nintendo owns them, and that I'm not making any profit out of this. So there.

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** Islands and Dreams **

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"Steady...

"I've got to... keep steady..."

A lightning flashed frighteningly close, then the rumbling thunder. He hung tighter to the rope, forced his numb body not to wince.

"Steady..."

The waves were high above him. Another lightning. Then another. The roar of the storm almost drowning the booming thunder.

"Keep... steady..."

He was soaked, and chilled to the bone, the rain and the waves dumping gallons and gallons of water on him. He had to fight to breathe. His eyes stung, and he'd swallowed so much of the salty, slimy water he felt sick.

He had to keep steady.

His left arm was wrapped with rope, trying to control the veils, trying desperately to hold onto the tumbling ship, sending silent prayers to Naryu, Din and Farore. His arm hurt, it felt like it was going to fall off. His whole numb body hurt. He had to hold on.

He couldn't die like this. Not him, not after he'd faced many worse perils than this. He couldn't die. Another lightning. He blinked. As a flash, her face appeared before his eyes, then was gone. He swallowed down more water and salt. He fought down the nausea and pain in his stomach. He felt his knees going weak. He held onto that memory, that face. He couldn't die...

... for her sake...

"... steady... please..."

Another lightning. The blinding light. The deafening thunder. Pain seized his body, made his heart stop. He felt the soaked wood of the ship break under him, over him.

He could see her face in front of him as the flashes of the storm blacked away, as the roar of the thunders died down in his head, as the chill of the water enclosed him.

"... Zelda..."

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**o-----o**

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She stared with gazing eyes at the faraway horizon, where the sea and the sky merged, hiding distant lands. She loved the smell of the sea just after the storm. She absent-mindedly debated within herself whether she should sing or wait until later.

She walked lightly along the south shore, taking deep breaths, bathing herself in the fresh sea breeze, imagining she was a traveler from faraway lands. She would walk on the sand, a free spirit, the wind dancing in her hair, an adventure lying behind every turn in the road...

Her eyes narrowed. What was that dark form down at the shore?

She started running, until she could discern the form of a man lying on the shore, several pieces of broken wood, and some equipment, scattered next to him. She gasped. She lay on her knees and turned around so he could see his face.

He was tall and somewhat skinny, though he certainly didn't seem to lack exercise. He was clad in a green tunic, completely soaked in sea water. He had longish, wet blonde hair, and amazingly long, pointy ears. His unconscious features were well-defined, and somewhat handsome, she couldn't help but notice worriedly. His face was deathly pale, cold to the touch, yet she seemed to feel warmth beneath his gray skin. Was he dead...?

No, she could feel his pulse. Weak, but it was there, stubbornly beating. She could feel the slightest breath leaving his lungs. No he wasn't dead; she sighed in relief.

"Wake up," she ordered him, taking him by the shoulders and shaking him gently but vigorously. His body felt limp in her arms.

"Wake up!" she was beginning to panic slightly now. She couldn't let this boy die. There was still no answer. "Please...?"

She didn't know what to do, she'd never had anything like this happen to her. Nothing ever happened to her. So she decided do trust her instinct. She leaned next to him unmoving body, and rubbed his cold arm, trying to lend him some warmth. She noticed he had a mark on his hand, a three-triangle pattern.

She examined him more closely. He didn't seem any older than eighteen; maybe one or two years her senior. "I've got to get you poor thing to the village," she whispered.

Her heart leapt. She knew what he was. She'd never seen anyone with quite the same features as him. He was a traveler from distant lands.

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**o-----o**

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It was dark. He could heard booming thunders. He felt feverish.

Images were swirling about him. Sometimes, he would feel as if he was drowning in freezing water. Sometimes, a face was staring above his... Her face, blue eyes shining with worry... Sometimes, he though he was caught in some bizarre dream...

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**o-----o**

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"Ungh..."

Link stirred. He felt as if someone had place lead weights on his limbs.

_'I think he moved!'_

Was that... a woman's voice? He fought to regain control of his body. He couldn't remember clearly. He remembered darkness, a storm... a woman's face staring down at him...

His eyes fluttered open.

_'Oh!'_

The light almost blinded him, made his head spin. He couldn't seem to focus. A face was floating in front of him... a woman's face...

_'What a relief! I thought you'd never wake up! You were tossing and turning...'_

Was it her? He could only seem to think of one thing. He groaned out a name.

The face seemed confused for a second. "What? Zelda?"

The voice woke him up like a bucketful of cold water. Suddenly his surroundings came into focus; he was in a small, simple room, probably a bedroom. He was lying in a bed.

"No, my name's Marin! You must still be feeling a little woozy." The girl smiled at him.

No, she wasn't her. This girl had long, red hair; she had large, brown eyes that seemed to sparkle when they landed on his face, and soft, attractive features graced her round face. She wore a simple, though beautiful red dress. She seemed pretty young, about his age. There was something about her that he couldn't quite place... Something in the back of his mind told him that this girl should look familiar... some memory buried inside him for centuries... He blinked the feeling away from him.

He must have looked pretty confused, for the girl, Marin smiled again and cocked her head. "It's okay. You shipwrecked here." Link nodded. Yes, he remembered now. "This is Koholint Island."

Koholint Island? He'd never heard of it before, and that was saying something. He sat up, ignoring the dizziness, and looked around, beyond Marin. He could vaguely see another person in the room, a largish man with a wide, mustached face, a large nose and cheeks a bright red. Marin's father? He looked back to the girl, who was watching him expectantly.

"Thanks," he rasped. His voice came out with difficulty. No, he could do better than that. He looked again at Marin, and nodded, gratefully. "Thank you for saving me. I am forever in your debt."

Marin gave the tiniest hint of a blush, and bowed slightly. "It's nothing really."

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**o-----o**

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Link strolled around Mabe Village, looking around, greeting the townspeople.

Ever since his recovery, his life had blurred into long trips, exploring the island for days on end, and brief pauses at the village to relax and prepare for the next adventure, enjoying the hospitality of Marin and her father Tarin. Koholint Island wasn't very large, but the thick forests, the slow swamps, the intricate caves were tricky to navigate through, and puzzles and monsters hindered him every step. Progress was slow, and frustrating, it sometimes took him weeks to clear one area. Still, he had advanced far in his travels, uncovering secret dungeons, hidden messages, ancient mysteries. There was something woven deep under the soil of Koholint, something that seemed to be as old as time itself. He could sense at times, though that feeling always eluded him.

He had to wake the Wind Fish, in order to leave the island. So the owl had told him. He had to collect the eight instruments scattered along the island. All in all, he was enjoying the new adventure... if it were not for the small voice in the back of his mind telling him that he might never be able to leave the island... to return to Hyrule and to... He tried his hardest to ignore it.

Mabe Village was a quiet, peaceful town. The sun was shining happily on the pale green grass and on the colored houses. Chicken were lazily strolling around, along with the occasional dog. Children were playing, their gay laughter echoing around the place. A vigorous-looking granny was energetically sweeping the pavement in front of her doorway, happily humming some tuneless melody. It was almost too perfect.

The townspeople were nice and friendly, welcoming Link with large smiles. They never thought about what happened outside the island, any enquiries in that direction were met with blank stares. It was as though the island was a tiny dimension in itself, as if nothing existed beyond the boundaries of its horizons. Even though he'd only been there for few months, they greeted him as an old friend. He himself sometimes felt as if he'd always lived on the island.

_(Had he?)_

He didn't know where that feeling came from.

"Link!" He turned around. Marin was running forward to greet him.

He smiled and walked up to meet with her. Behind him, a giant, white egg stood out against the sky, lying on top of the highest peak on the island, Tamaranch Mountain, partially obscured by the clouds.

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**o-----o**

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Link eyed the enormous puddle of goo warily. It had plopped in front of him as he'd made his way deep into the Key Cavern, fighting off monsters and puzzles. He'd managed to separate several chunks of slime from its body and dispose of them, but it hardly seemed to have made a difference, while Link was progressively slowing down in his swordplay as he fight raged on.

It made a move towards Link. The youth dodged easily, and slashed at its side; the sword tip plunging into the monster's almost liquid body and coming cleanly out. Link grunted in exasperation, rolling away to avoid another attack.

The slime wobbled away. It was then that Link made his mistake. He charged at the thing, brute force being the only strategy that could break its wobbly body. But the slime didn't move away. Instead, it thrust itself towards him. It was perhaps because of the fatigue, that he wasn't able to dodge, only to weakly raise his shield: Link found himself sinking into the goo, only to be sent crashing by the monster's force straight into a nearby wall. White explosions of pain flashed before his eyes as his head banged into the cold hard stone.

But the slime didn't stop there. It pressed itself against the boy, pinning him against the wall. As much as he struggled, he couldn't move his body, and the disgusting gooey mass was pressing against his nose and mouth. He couldn't breathe.

He tried to struggle, trying to steal gasping breaths of air, but soon, soon enough there was darkness creeping behind his eyes, and the strength began to leave his limbs. His lungs hurt; he was suffocating. He couldn't die like that, he knew, it was ridiculous, not before he'd reached home...

_(Home?)_

Suddenly he knew. He concentrated all the energy into his left arm, his sword arm; he forgot about everything else, that he was suffocating, only concentrated on sliding his left arm along the wall. He was almost there... A face was pushing him on, in his head.

_(Zel...?)_

With a burst of strength that made him see double, Link plunged his sword deep into the gelatinous body. The slime gurgled, and redoubled the pressure, but Link pushed against the wall to counter it, desperation lending him strength. He knew what he had to do.

He twisted his body, kicking with one foot against the wall to gain momentum, and swung his sword in three wide circles.

_"Whirling Blade!"_ His ace technique.

The force of the attack from inside was too much for the slime. It's body exploded, goo splattering against the walls and ceiling of the chamber with a horrible, burbling sound. Link stumbled forward, dizzy, and collapsed onto the cold, hard floor, gasping for breath. He was drained, and covered with slime from head to toe, but he was alive, and that was all that mattered. He got unsteadily to his feet.

The door in front of him opened with the slow sound of stone against stone, and light flooded him. He could glimpse a bell shining on an altar. The next Siren's Instrument. He'd collect it, set up camp, and after a well earned rest proceed to push himself westwards on the island. He was one tiny step closer to waking the Wind Fish. To leaving the island.

He heard a flapping of wings, and a faint hoot behind him. He allowed himself a cocky smile as he stumbled forwards.

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**o-----o**

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Marin was staring at the sea, watching the waves, thinking about her dreams. She heard a soft rustling behind her. A slight figure silently slid beside her. She smiled.

"Oh, Link, I'm so glad you found this place. Will you stay here with me for a while?"

The green-clad youth nodded and sat down on the sand right next to her. He was so close; she felt a sudden urge to slide her hand on his... Instead she leaned back, letting the light flood her, inhaling the fresh, cool air. She felt at ease around Link.

"I wonder where these coconut trees come from?" she wondered out loud. "... Tarin says there is nothing beyond the sea, but I believe there must be something over there..."

She turned her head around suddenly to look at Link. Her eyes met his wide blue ones, staring intently at her. She tried her hardest not to blush.

"When I discovered you, Link, my heart skipped a beat! I thought, this person has come to give us a message..."

Link didn't reply. He didn't have to. Instead, his light blue gaze slid away from her, to the horizon far away. She smiled to herself... He was such a kind, quiet boy... Sometimes, she would have given the world to know what was going on inside his head... When she was with him, it always made her mind drift away, to distant places, to the lands of her dreams...

"... If I was a seagull, I would fly as far as I could!" she whispered, letting her words wander away with her thoughts. "I would fly to far away places and sing for many people! I love to sing!" she exclaimed softly. "... If I wish to the Wind Fish, I wonder if my dream will come true..."

Link was staring at the horizon... There was a thin mist around it, so that he couldn't quite see where the sea ended and where the sky began. It was as though the world ended there, as though there was nothing else beyond this enchanted island... Every day, it was harder and harder to remember his life in Hyrule, beyond Koholint, to remember the castle, his adventures... It was all fading away... as if it had been a dream he'd woken from, whose details were slipping farther and farther away from his mind...

_(A dream...?)_

And then her face would flash in front of him, with her long, blonde hair and blue eyes, stern but sweet... He felt his stomach leap, then.

And yet there was this girl, who dreamt of far away lands... Marin was different from the others, he knew. There was something about this island he couldn't quite grasp, that kept slipping away from his thoughts... It was as if something had obfuscated his senses. Only the Wind Fish could answer him, he knew that.

Marin looked at Link, suddenly. He was staring ahead, a thought heavy on his head, she could tell.

"Hey" she whispered softly. "Are you listening? Link, Are you listening to me?"

He blinked, and turned to face her again. His eyes moved lightly to meets hers, either assuring or apologetic. She glanced away.

"Link... I want to know everything about you... Er..."

She burst in nervous laughter.

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**o-----o**

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They were strolling across Ukuku Prairie, the cool breeze playing softly on their faces. Link, on a previous exploration, had found his way blocked by a huge, sleeping walrus, of all the possible things... He couldn't climb on his slippery, loose skin, and he couldn't seem to move around him. If it hadn't been in his way, he would have appreciated the irony of the situation, but... He'd learned, on this island, to come to expect anything, from talking animals to giant, flower-eating, fanged furballs.

He'd learned that only Marin's song could wake the Walrus. So they were on their way to her friends in Animal Village, but there was no hurry, really. The sun was shining brightly, the sky was a celestial blue... The brisk air made them feel capable of anything; the few Moblins and Like-Likes that had approached them had been easily dispatched.

Link was walking ahead, idly swinging his sword around, decapitating any part of the vegetation that was unfortunate enough to come across his blade. Marin was slightly behind him, out of reach, smiling at the youth's energy. Neither Koholint's flora nor its fauna seemed to be safe from him.

"So... your homeland's called Hyrule, you said?"

"Yep. Hyrule." Link seemed to frown for a moment.

"And didn't you say..." she began, cocking her head slightly. "Didn't you say something about being a Hero there...?"

Link momentarily paused his lawn-mowing activity, arm paused in mid-swipe. "Yes..." He lowered his sword. "Yes, I might have..."

Marin clasped her hands in excitement. "Really?" Her eyes were sparkling. "That must've been so cool!"

He shrugged. "Not really." He was frowning again; he seemed somewhat uncomfortable. "There's all that stuff about my destiny and so..." He glanced quickly at the back of his hand. "... About going on quests, and protecting the Princess..." He shrugged again. "I don't feel any different from other people." He returned his sword to his sheath, strapped to his back, and slid his hands into his pockets, staring down at the grass.

"A princess...?" Marin's voice was unreadable.

Link said nothing, just kicked at the ground. A pair of blue eyes were uncomfortably staring at him at the moment. Then he paused, frowned at the ground, and bent down to retrieve something from the high grass.

"What's that?" She came close to him and bent over to examine the object Link was carefully holding in his cupped hands. "Oh, a seashell!"

"Yes. They're all over the place," Link told her, smiling once more. "They're all over the island. I've taken to collecting them..." He shrugged, a little embarrassedly, and flashed her a quick grin. "I know it's kinda silly, but..."

Marin chuckled softly. "Oh, no, it's not, really... Do you know that that crocodile down at the beach collects canned food?"

He laughed. "Yeah... I've talked to him."

She went back to her examination of the seashell. "It's so pretty..." she whispered, entranced, stroking it with one slender finger. She had seen all kinds of seashells before, living on an island, walking down to beach every day, but she wasn't lying. This particular seashell was stunningly beautiful, the sun reflecting on its sleek surface. It was pearly white, stroked with soft pink stripes... She'd never seen one quite like this before.

Link chuckled amiably, apparently amused. "You can have it if you want..."

Marin looked up suddenly. "Me? Don't you want it for your collection?"

He shook his head, still grinning. "I've already got too many. Here, you keep it." He pushed it towards her. She wrapped her hands around his to accept it. They remained in that position, staring into each other's eyes. "Thank you, Link..."

Link bit his lip. It was then, staring into her face, that he made his decision. "Marin..."

"Yes...?"

"When this is over, when I finally leave the island..." His tongue stumbled. He sometimes had a hard time with words... He lowered his gaze for a moment and shook his head, smiling to himself.

"Marin... will you come with me to Hyrule... someday?"

Her eyes lit up suddenly. "Really, Link?" she breathed hopefully. "Will you really take me there?"

He nodded encouragingly, running a hand through his hair, a bit shyly. "Yes... I'll take you there... You have to see Hyrule Market. And the castle...!"

"Wow! Wh- what's it like?"

"You've never seen so many people together! And then I'll take you to see the Kokiri forest, and Kakariko village... And the Zora's domain, and Death Mountain...!"

They began walking again, side to side. "Death Mountain...?" Marin repeated, shivering. "Doesn't that sound a bit ominous...?"

"Oh, not really." Link laughed, running a hand through his hair again. "The Goron are very nice people... er..."

"Goron?"

They kept talking, all the way, Link telling her of the wonders of his land, Marin laughing and gasping...

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**o-----o**

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"Link..."

"Huh?"

Link looked up. They were camped at the base of a steep precipice, at the edge of Ukuku prairie. They were only a few miles from Animal Village, but Marin had insisted they camped for the night, not wanting to go around at dark...

"Do you still have that ocarina you found...?"

"Yeah... Why?"

"Please take it out, Link... I want you to play along with me..."

The melody was captivating. Link, as all Hylians, loved music. It held an ancient magic, one that could never be shattered by time or sorrow. The whirling notes where moving along with the fresh breeze, gliding gently across the thin blades of grass. It was as if one song had captured the whole essence of Koholint Island... He couldn't help letting his fingers slide along the ocarina, trying to follow in what he knew could only be a pale impression of the magic... Then, soon, too soon, the enchantment was over, and the night was cold and still again.

"That... That was beautiful, Marin... Where did you learn that song?"

"Where did I... I don't really know. I've always sung it. All I know is... Whenever I look up there, at the Wind Fish's Egg... I feel it in my heart... singing." She shook her head and laughed light-heartedly. "Funny, isn't it?"

"Yeah..." He laughed softly along with her. "Funny..."

"... Link...?"

"Yes?"

"Please, don't ever forget this song... or me..."

"Marin... of course I won't..."

_(Will I?)_

"Thank you... Link..."

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**o-----o**

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He was fighting a giant, slimy eel, in the depths of Catfish's Maw. Its huge tail came swishing towards him, and he ducked easily. He'd already managed to wear it down quite a bit, and it kept appearing and disappearing into the holes in the floor.

He'd left Marin singing in Animal Village. He'd gone exploring again, avoiding quicksand through dry Yarna Desert, plodding his way into watery Angler's Cave, meeting the mermaids in magical Martha's Bay... He was looking forward to a nice rest in Mabe Village, and only this overgrown water snake was slithering in his way. He smiled through gritted teeth.

He sidestepped as its tail came swishing down, and turned his attention to the corner to his right. The eel's head had just appeared in one of the holes in the floor. He raced towards it, sword in hand, but in a flash the head had slithered down again. Link gave a strangled scream and managed to stop himself on the edge of the hole, inches away from falling into its watery depths. It took him a few precious seconds to safely regain his balance. He heard a sound behind him.

His eyes widened. He tried to turn around, but he didn't have the time. The tail came swishing behind him and caught him in the back; his sword skittered away on the stone floor; he was sent crashing into the wall's hard surface. He raised his hands in front of him to protect his body, but the impact made him see stars.

It only took him half a second to recover. He pushed himself away from the wall and turned the movement into a roll to avoid the tail as it came crashing down again. He touched his chest, and a slippery substance came away from his tunic, lingering on his fingers.

"Ew. What's with these monsters and slime?" he grimaced.

Then something caught his eye; the eel had reared its head in the far corner of the room.

This time he wasn't caught unawares. Before it could vanish again, he grabbed the Hookshot from his side, and sent its pointed tip soaring towards the eel. He prayed that it hit its mark, and indeed it did, plunging firmly into the creature's slippery skin. Link smiled, and adjusted his grip on the Hookshot. Planting his feet firmly on the ground, he gave the chain a mighty pull.

Taken by surprise, the monster's head crashed down roaring on the floor, it's body quickly following; Link could see its heart pulsing through its semi-transparent body. Quick as a flash, he darted towards it, grabbing his sword from the floor. Before the eel could raise itself again, Link thrust his sword through its long, thin neck, straight into its heart.

The creature gave an almighty roar, then its head fell down heavily as its long snake-like body twisted spasmodically around itself, life fleeing its coils. Finally, it was still.

Link pulled with some effort the sword from the corpse, and tried with little success to clean it from the slime. The light from the next room, the fifth Siren's Instrument was beckoning him forward. Yet another step...

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**o-----o**

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TO THE FINDER OF THE ISLE OF KOHOLINT...

He was in a dark room in the ancient ruins, barely lit by two small torches. There was a mysterious painting on the wall. He paled as he deciphered the old, ruined letters.

... CAST-AWAY, YOU SHOULD KNOW THE TRUTH!

His fingers slipped on the cold stone.

"No..."

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**o-----o**

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He was bathing in a stream, his equipment dumped on the nearby shore, letting the cool, pure water flow against his skin, against his his sore wounds. He'd plummeted through the fast River Rapids, and into the ruined Face Shrine. He'd battled Armos statues, old rusty armors that stood in his way. He'd made his way through the ancient, musty corridors of ancient civilizations, upset dust that had settled there only millennia ago. In a dark, cold chamber he'd found an old painting... Under the torchlight, he'd read the crumbling message...

He groaned as his wounds reminded him of their presence through throbbing pain. His skin was dark from many cuts and bruises. The Facade's flying tiles, the Armos Knights' heavy swords, dulled by time, the strain of lifting statue after statue had been unkind on his body. A dull pain shot through him every time he tried to move a muscle. He had to rest, he knew, and then go back to the village...

He couldn't help but think of the message engraved on the wall... The owl had said that it might not be true, that it was an ancient legend... It couldn't be... a dream...

_(Could it?)_

He thought of the thin mist around the horizon, he thought of the oblivious townspeople... He thought of Marin... She dreamed of leaving the island... she wanted to visit new lands... He'd held her hands that day... It had to be real... She had to be...

_(Is she?)_

Sometimes, something would pass through him, like a flash of conscience, as if something in his head was trying to wake up... Sometimes a name would stir up inside him...

_(Z... da...?)_

What was real...?

HUMAN, MONSTER, SEA, SKY...

A SCENE ON THE LID OF A SLEEPER'S EYE...

Only by awakening the Wind Fish he could find out.

He shook his head... He was slipping farther and farther into unconsciousness... He got up, shaking. He had to reach Mabe Village...

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**o-----o**

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"Link... You're back!" Marin ran towards his, then stopped in horror, catching sight of the dark stains covering the youth's tunic. "Link! Oh gods, you're hurt!!"

"I'm... I'm all right..." Link whispered weakly, and managed a few steps forward before collapsing to his knees.

"Link... Oh, Link!!" She dropped to kneel by him, he got up again and looked around frenetically. "Help! He's hurt! Tarin! Someone...!!"

"Marin..."

_Marin... are you... real...?_

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**o-----o**

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Marin clambered up the infinite staircase. Her heartbeat was frantic, and the cold winds were playing a cruel game on her body and face, but she didn't mind. She knew that if she could reach the top, reach the Wind Fish's Egg and sing to it... She tripped, and got back up. She heard a sound behind her. She was almost there. She tripped again.

She was almost there... She heard a loud grunt behind her, and she turned around. She found herself face to face with a large, disgusting Moblin.

Marin screamed.

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**o-----o**

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"Link!!"

The cold winds were biting.

"Marin!! What...!?"

"S- some monsters put me up here! Link! I'm afraid of heights!!"

A lone rock rolled down the mountainside.

"Marin...! Stay there! Hold on, I'm coming...!"

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**o-----o**

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"... L... Link...."

"Shh," he whispered softly. "Don't look down. We're almost there. Don't look down."

Marin nodded slightly, swallowing down her fear. She tightened her hold on his neck, burying her face in his chest, a soft, dry sob escaping her lips.

Flashes of the past few hours kept coming back to her in a haze. The monsters that had kidnapped her. Being carried through Tal Tal Heights. She was crying and screaming and struggling, but their hold had been too strong. The highest peak on which they'd unceremoniously dumped her, laughing horribly. The strongest of them staying behind to destroy the bridge. The bite of the cold, merciless winds, her fear of heights, screaming out till her throat was sore... Link bravely climbing toward her, reaching out to far rocks with his Hookshot... balancing on the precarious bridge...

It sent waves of dizziness to her head, she felt her stomach plummet and she gasped, gripping onto him as if her life depended on it.

"It's alright," he soothed her, calmly. "We're almost there."

His comforting arms tightened around her, keeping her safe, his sword still in his left hand, just in case. She could feel his muscles hardened and trembling from the physical exertion, his clothes humid from perspiration and cool from the chilly winds, as he carefully made his way down the steep mountainside. It amazed her that someone so skinny could also be so strong. She laid her head on his trembling chest and forced herself to listen his frantic heartbeat, to his quick and irregular breaths. Stop thinking about what had happened, just concentrate on his heartbeat...

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**o-----o**

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"We're here" he breathed, finally allowing himself to relax. He felt her sigh of relief. He carefully set her back on the ground, but as soon as her feet touched the ground, her knees gave away. She stumbled forward with a gasp, and weakly threw her arms around his neck again; he caught her readily around the waist and held her steady.

"It's okay." He could feel her chest rising and falling, her quick, uneven breaths. "Fear of heights can do that to you." She nodded. "Just take deep breaths... keep... breathing..." His voice trailed off into uncertainty. She'd raised her head a little, she was looking into his eyes, and she smiled, unsteadily but surely.

"Wow..." she breathed, shaking her head as if to clear it. "That was a surprise... Thank you... Link...!"

He smiled back, sweetly, somewhat uncertainly. "No problem, Marin. I owed it to you." She nodded they drew apart slightly; she let go of his neck, though her hands lingered around his shoulders. His arms were still around her waist. She bit her lip, as though she was thinking something over, carefully considering some thought or other.

"... Say... Link..."

He tilted his head slightly, looking confused. "Wh... What? Are you... okay... Marin...?"

She nodded abstractly, her gaze fixed on his pale face. "Uhh... I don't know how to say this... but..."

She stared up and into his large blue eyes, open wide. There was something in them, she couldn't tell... fear, or shock... He still seemed nothing more than a boy, after all...

Link could feel her body gently pressing against his... her arms around him, his own still loosely around her waist, his sword still hanging from his limp hand... He could feel her cold breath on his face... He had to fight not to panic; his breath still came fitfully, each chilly breath hurting in his lungs...

He didn't know what would happen if he didn't pull away... Somehow, he desired it, he wanted to wrap himself in the sweet expectation... Yet... another part of him was screaming in his head, a lone, sad face hovering before him, with long strands of fair hair and pale blue eyes...

There were strands of hair in his face, tickling his nose and cheeks, and she brushed them away with one swift, ethereal motion... He wanted to pull away yet he couldn't move... Her face was right next to him... she closed her eyes...

Her soft lips brushed against his.

The hilt of his sword finally slipped through his loose fingers. The weapon clattered on the stony ground with a frightfully loud clang.

It suddenly snapped Link to his senses. He gasped, and jerked away somewhat, panting slightly. "I... I... You're..."

Marin looked at him with wide, brown eyes, still hanging on to him. She didn't seem angry, or sad, or even surprised, Link realized. She was just staring at him, examining his face.

"Link..." she whispered... "I..."

"MAAAAAAARINNNN!!"

The sudden scream jerked them both to harsh reality.

_(Reality?)_

They turned around, greeted by the sight of a large, red-faced man clambering towards them, panting and puffing heavily, scarlet face shining from sweat. It was amazing, Link would have been surprised, had he been in the condition to notice, that a man in his state, panting and out of breath, could bellow so loudly.

"MARIN!!"

Marin looked at the man, and her eyes widened slightly. "Hunh?! Tarin??!"

She looked at Link, then at the man, then back at Link. "Uh... Nevermind," she quickly uttered. "I... I gotta go!"

She drew away from him like a gust of wind. Her hand lingered on his, holding his fingers as if she feared he might fly away if she let go. Once more her brown eyes straying on his face. Then she let his fingers slip away from her, and she turned around and she ran lightly down the path, towards her father.

__

**o-----o**

__

Link emerged, victorious, from the giant shell that was Turtle's Rock. He'd fought fire with fire, he was covered in soot and burn marks, his green tunic torn and blackened, but he was carrying the Thunder Drum. The eighth Siren's Instrument. The last Siren's Instrument.

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**o-----o**

__

Link checked his bag again to make sure the eight instruments were safe, then gave one long look at the village. He'd done everything. He'd checked his equipment several times, stocked up at the Mabe Shop, he had all Siren's Instruments... He'd even memorized the cryptic directions he'd found in that mysterious book in the library. Yet he was still dwindling at the edge of the town... He wondered what would happen, whether he'd ever see this enchanted island again... But he had to go, he had to find out...

He saw a red spot climbing towards him... There was still something he hadn't done. Marin reached up to him, panting slightly... "Link..."

He didn't answer. She looked up to him, sadly... "You're leaving to explore... again?"

He nodded silently. He couldn't speak, his throat was knotted up. She lowered her gaze, unwilling to look him in the eyes. "Link... someday you will leave this island... I just know it in my heart..." She shook her head, then looked up again, her brown gaze piercing straight into his blue eyes.

"... Don't ever forget me... If you do, I'll never forgive you!"

Her eyes were staring straight at him, reminding him of his promise, pleading. For a moment, Link wanted to believe them, to believe that he could take her away from Koholint, show her the world she so longed to see. The rest of this accursed, enchanted island could be what they were, but Marin... Marin had to be real. He stared back at her, for one interminable moment. Then he raised one hand to clasp her arm, sadly.

"Marin... I... I won't forget you."

She smiled at him, somehow looking relieved. She looked as if she was about to fall into his arms. But instead, she swallowed slightly and looked up at him, still smiling. "Thank you... Link... You are the kindest boy I know..." They stayed there, in comfortable silence.

"Marin...?"

"... Yes...?"

"When I... I mean... when you were... up there on that mountain..." He stumbled with his words. "Marin... what were you there for?"

She stared at the ground, lips twitching in a tentative smile. "I... I made a wish to the Wind Fish..." She looked up into his eyes, amber gaze saying everything and nothing. He wanted to tell her everything, he was never good at conveying messages...

When he finally turned his back to Mabe Village, it was with those amber eyes in his mind. He reached the Wind Fish's Egg, he played on his Ocarina the tune Marin had taught him, and the giant Egg cracked open. He tried his hardest not to think about it.

__

**o-----o**

__

He was inside the Wind Fish's Egg. He'd followed the instructions he'd found in the old book to navigate through the maze he'd found inside, to reach the farthest chamber. There the shadows that lay deep within the island had materialized, taking the form of his darkest fears. It had been a long, raging fight; he'd vanquished every shadow. He'd faltered once when the evil spirit had taken the form of Ganon, his nemesis, but he had prevailed, as he knew they were only projections; he had face too many perils to be fooled by them. Now he had forced the shadows to reveal their true form, Dethl: one giant, closed eye was flying around; he was swinging two long, deadly, arm-like appendages.

Link stepped back to avoid on swing. He was hot and tired and sweaty from the interminable battle, and wounds from the previous shadows were hindering him. Yet the battle raged on at a frenetic pace; he could not afford to slow down or lose concentration, for even one second. One of the arms appeared to his right, and he rolled out of the way, using chance to take a swing at the appendage. It was useless; it hardly seemed to affect the shadow-stuff of his foe.

He grunted. He couldn't keep this up. There came yet another swing, but just as he stepped back to avoid the arm its twin appeared from nowhere and smacked his left side; he was sent flying across the mystic chamber, his sword clattering on the floor. He rolled along the floor, finally coming to a stop near the closed entrance. He groaned in pain and clutched his chest, the shadow hovering above him, readying itself for the final blow.

No. Link wasn't ready to die yet. He felt a sudden rage within him. He hadn't come this far, just to die here, alone. Dethl's eyelids finally slid apart, and the warrior found himself staring into a profoundly white eyeball, one giant iris, red like a monster's blood. Its arm began to come down, whipping the air about it. Link rolled onto his back, avoiding the deadly blow by an inch, and flattened himself against the floor as the black arm came soaring above him, thanking the Goddesses he hadn't broken any ribs. He felt the force of the blow reverberating inside him.

Miraculously, he was still clutching his bow. He cocked an arrow, still on the floor, twisting his body almost unnaturally, and let go. His aim was true. The arrow soared through the air and flew in the slit of Dethl's eyelids, sinking into its pupil. The shadow made a screeching groan and started back, arms flailing wildly around, its silhouette already beginning to twist.

Link got up, painfully, and raced to grab his sword, but even as he turned, the form had begun to change... It grew slimmer, smaller... long, pitch black hair cascaded over slight black shoulders; a crown adorned its dark head, and a richly embodied dress fell around her body... Link stopped and gasped. He knew very well who that shape belonged to.

_(Zel... d... a...)_

The dark form seemed pleading... would he really want to kill her? For a second, Link hesitated; then he smiled. He walked towards the princess, right hand extended.

"Do you really think you can fool me?" he asked.

The he drew back, quick as a lightning, and thrust his sword through his princess's chest. The shadow's long screech filled the air and cracked the foundations of the mountain, the shadow-stuff it was made of began to swirl into thin air where the tip of the sword entered its chest; but even then its outlines began to twist again. Its straight hair grew more wavy, the curls of its rich dress straightened out, it grew slightly shorter... Marin's face was staring back at him, eyes wide in the clutch of death. Link didn't react. He merely watched with an unreadable face as the shadow grew dimmer, its form twisting into nothingness, its ear-splitting final screech dying away at last.

Finally, it was silent. The sword fell from Link's loose hand and clattered to the ground. He didn't move. He'd done what had been asked of him; now he felt empty. About him, the eight Siren's instruments began to play, play Marin's song...

_The Ballad of the Wind Fish_, she'd called it.

With a rumble, the Wind Fish began to awaken.

__

**o-----o**

__

_**I AM THE WIND FISH...**_

_**LONG HAS BEEN MY SLUMBER...**_

_**IN MY DREAMS...**_

_**AN EGG APPEARED AND WAS SURROUNDED BY AN ISLAND,**_

_**WITH PEOPLE, ANIMALS, AN ENTIRE WORLD!**_

__

_**BUT, VERILY, IT BE THE NATURE OF DREAMS TO END!**_

_**WHEN I DOST AWAKEN, KOHOLINT WILL BE GONE...**_

_**ONLY THE MEMORY OF THIS DREAM LAND WILL EXIST IN THE WAKING WORLD...**_

_**SOMEDAY, THOU MAY RECALL THIS ISLAND...**_

_**THAT MEMORY MUST BE THE REAL DREAM WORLD...**_

__

_**COME, LINK...**_

_**LET US AWAKEN...**_

_**TOGETHER!!**_

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**o-----o**

__

_... There were the Moblins, patrolling the Mysterious Forest..._

_... The talking animals playing in Animal Village..._

_... The Octoroks, ambling by the beauty of Torombo Shores..._

_... Crazy Tracy stewing some foul-smelling mixture..._

_... Richard, haughtily strolling about his villa..._

__

_... There were two parents, looking after their bawling quadruplets..._

_... The Mabe Shop owner, greedily counting his money..._

_... A vigorous-looking granny, sweeping the ground with her new broom..._

_... Small, naive children, innocently playing, laughing on the quiet streets..._

_... Tarin, happily dreaming and snoring in his soft bed..._

__

_... There was Marin, nostalgically singing her song..._

_... hoping that it might reach the Wind Fish..._

__

_... There was endless whiteness..._

__

**o-----o**

__

Link awoke with a groan. His head was pounding, and he felt horrible. There was a sickening taste of salt on his tongue. He regained his consciousness slowly, little by little, as if he'd just woke up from a long, troubled sleep that still held its last clutches around him.

He was drifting, far at sea... a strong rope was wrapped around his left arm, secured with what was left of of a once sturdy mast. Pieces of wood were bobbing up and down about him. Memories began to come back to him. Sailing back towards Hyrule, after months of training and traveling... The storm, the waves, the pitch black sky... The sudden lightning...

He looked around him. A deep blue sea merged with a cerulean sky; tracing a thin straight line around him. The water was still, and the sun was shining above him; it was a mariner's dream. Closing his eyes, he thought of Hyrule, the only land he could come close to calling his own. Zelda would be worried about him, he knew. He wondered how long he'd been unconscious. It felt like ages.

He'd had a dream, he remembered suddenly. Something about an island... an egg... it seemed to slip away from his mind every time he tried to focus on something... He frowned. There was a strange lump against his chest and the wood... as if there was something in his pocket. He reached into it, and his fingers met a cool, smooth surface...

It was a seashell, pearly white, stroked with soft pink stripes... He'd never seen one quite like this before.

It was like waking up in the morning, and touching an object that had been in your dreams, stored in the back of your mind but not forgotten. Flashes of images run through you, confused...

Walking sunny shores, resting by the coconut trees and looking out towards the horizon...

Endless days exploring, wading through swamps, cutting away at the thick branches, climbing tall mountain ranges, uncovering ancient mysteries...

Fighting huge monsters, talking with animals, playing with the gentle mermaids, resisting their soft seductions...

Friendly townspeople, little children running, negotiating angrily with a greedy shopkeeper... Fishing, playing the Trendy Game... Collecting seashells, playing an ocarina, fighting off angry Moblins...

A name came to his lips...

"Ma... rin?"

It was all a haze... but he knew. There was a sound above his and he looked up. The Wind Fish was soaring above him, through the clear sky, large and whale-like and colorful...

WIND FISH IN NAME ONLY, FOR IT IS NEITHER

He looked up to it in wonder and it seemed for a moment that it had blinked at him. He smiled. He felt strangely calm.

He remembered its words. It had been the Wind Fish's dream, but, now, it was his, too. Someday, he might remember it all clearly... Then Koholint Island will truly have existed... Then Marin's wish will come true...

There was time for everything... Now, he had to reach the mainland... Zelda would be waiting...

__

**o-----o**

__

Seagulls were flying overhead, squawking and gliding over the sleek air currents, seeking new lands. There was a flash of red, and, if you squinted and looked enough, it might have seemed that it was Marin up there along with them...

... singing...

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** The End **

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End file.
